The Female of the Species

Reviewed by Melanie on September 12, 2017

I added The Female of the Species to my “want to read” shelf because the cover was interesting. Yes, I judge books largely by their covers, I know it’s not the best, but there’s something to be said about first impressions. Once I read the description for the book, I began actively seeking it out. I finally found it on Overdrive and quickly let the story envelop me.

Alex is a strong character with a secret heart of gold. She’s fiercely loyal, almost to a fault. She’s a character that will stick with readers long after they close the book. Peek at is a breath of fresh air in Alex’s dark world. She’s the first real friend Alex has ever had, and she works hard to pull Alex out of the darkness. Peekay’s story, while one of the main themes of the book, presented me with a lot of questions. The biggest being, why didn’t she report the incident? The question is never answered, but speaks volumes about our culture and how people, especially victims are viewed and the kind of thoughts that they have when things happen that shouldn’t.

Jack is your stereotypical high school jock. All star everything and focused on getting out of small town life. He’s worked hard to get the grades that will propel him out of sports and into success. While very flawed, Jack comes across as authentic and definitely breaks the mold of most love interests.

Overall the book will have you hooked after the first line. If you survive the story, be prepared for a twist that will leave you emotionally shook. When you think you have things figured out, prepare yourself to be left raw and emotional.

The Female of the Species is an edge of your seat novel that will leave you stunned, thinking “did that really just happen?”

Alex Craft knows how to kill someone. And she doesn’t feel bad about it. When her older sister, Anna, was murdered three years ago and the killer walked free, Alex uncaged the language she knows best. The language of violence.

While her crime goes unpunished, Alex knows she can’t be trusted among other people, even in her small hometown. She relegates herself to the shadows, a girl who goes unseen in plain sight, unremarkable in the high school hallways.

But Jack Fisher sees her. He’s the guy all other guys want to be: the star athlete gunning for valedictorian with the prom queen on his arm. Guilt over the role he played the night Anna’s body was discovered hasn’t let him forget Alex over the years, and now her green eyes amid a constellation of freckles have his attention. He doesn’t want to only see Alex Craft; he wants to know her.

So does Peekay, the preacher’s kid, a girl whose identity is entangled with her dad’s job, though that does not stop her from knowing the taste of beer or missing the touch of her ex-boyfriend. When Peekay and Alex start working together at the animal shelter, a friendship forms and Alex’s protective nature extends to more than just the dogs and cats they care for.

Circumstances bring Alex, Jack, and Peekay together as their senior year unfolds. While partying one night, Alex’s darker nature breaks out, setting the teens on a collision course that will change their lives forever.

The Female of the Species2017-08-042017-10-30http://the-pink-moose.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/tpm-01-02.pngThe Pink Moosehttp://the-pink-moose.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/thefemaleofthespecies.jpg200px200px